Travel Trends To Inspire Your 2020 Vacation Planning

(NAPSI)—Some things never change when it comes to traveling with friends and family, but every year new trends arise as travelers discover new places and ways to travel. With data and insights from its global vacation rental marketplace, Vrbo identified where, how and why Americans will travel for vacation in 2020.

Up-and-coming destinations

Travelers are always looking for “off-the-beaten path” or “hidden gem” destinations for their next trip. The top emerging domestic destinations all have one thing in common: the great outdoors. From ghost towns to sea islands, adventurous travelers are visiting places like Big Bend National Park, Olympic National Park and Chattahoochee National Forest.

“This is the third year in a row travelers’ desire to be outdoors has filled the up-and-coming destinations list,” said Vrbo Travel Expert Melanie Fish. “Clearly, people want the comforts of a home away from home while soaking in scenery.”

On the rise: same-city stays

Same-city stays refer to people booking vacation rentals in their own city—not to be confused with staycations, which involve staying at your own home. The top single place that Chicago Vrbo renters come from is Chicago, and that rings true for a number of major American cities, including Philadelphia, Dallas and Atlanta. Another emerging travel phenomenon may come into play: cele-cations, when families and friends gather to celebrate special occasions. People who live in town may rent a vacation home to host and comfortably accommodate groups of guests for a holiday or a milestone life event.

Hottest international beach destinations

Where are trendsetting travelers heading to the beach in 2020? Portugal. The country took three of the top five spots on Vrbo’s list of international beach destinations: Vila Nova de Gaia, Porto and Lisbon. Portugal is known for its affordability and for some of the best waves in Europe. Other destinations include Chania, Greece and Catania, Italy.

Drivable destinations: moving up

More Americans are taking short-stay vacations of two or three days—likely an outgrowth of flexible time-off policies and prioritization of experiences with people over material goods. Whether it’s a long weekend or a day trip, an exceptional vacation destination is less than a tank of gas away! In fact, Vrbo’s top five short-stay destinations are all less than 300 miles away from the top origin markets that guests were traveling from.

From urban getaways to nature escapes, travelers are taking short trips to these top destinations: St. Louis; McCurtain County (Broken Bow), Okla.; Newton County, Ark.; Grays Harbor County, Wash. and Ruidoso, New Mexico.

Want more travel inspiration? See more trends and find your vacation rental match at https://www.vrbo.com/l/trend-report/.

 ““This is the third year in a row travelers’ desire to be outdoors has filled the up-and-coming destinations list,” said Vrbo Travel Expert Melanie Fish. “Clearly, people want the comforts of a home away from home while soaking in scenery.” http://bit.ly/34TKOe9”